FAO/WFP CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENT MISSION TO KENYA - 16 December 1996

Trade and Markets Division

FAO/WFP CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENT MISSION TO KENYA - 16 December 1996

Autores

Descripción

An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited Kenya from 23 October to 5 November 1996 to review estimates of the 1996 long-rains crop and prospects for the 1996/97 short-rains crop, to assess the food supply situation and forecast food import requirements for 1996/97, including food aid needs. The Mission visited five of the seven provinces of the country, including all the major grain producing areas, and conducted interviews with Government officials concerned at national and loc al levels, farmers, officials of NGOs, international agencies of the UN system and bilateral donors. The Mission estimates the national long-rains maize crop for 1996 at 1.82 million tons. The short-rains maize crop is forecast at 403 000 tons, bringing total estimated maize production for the 1996/97 season to 2.22 million tons compared to 2.7 million tons in the 1995/96 season, a decrease of 18 percent. This decline reflects both lower planting and yields. As a result of low farm gate pr ices in 1995, some farmers in the main producing areas reduced long-rains maize planting in favour of increased wheat cultivation. Reduced use of fertilizer and high-quality seed, a decision spurred by high input prices, negatively affected yields. By contrast, a considerable increase in short-rains maize plantings is expected to compensate partially for this shortfall. Production of long-rains sorghum and millet is estimated at 109 000 tons with a further 90 000 tons of sorghum and millet forec ast from the short-rains crop, most of which is now being planted. This could represent an increase in production of 49 percent over the previous year. The net result for total coarse grains production is an expected decline of 15 percent in the current crop year.